From Tuesday 25 – Wednesday 26 November RAF Lossiemouth welcomed several employers throughout the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland for a one-of-a-kind networking event.
This special Employer Engagement event aimed to bring Regular and Reservist personnel together with representatives from a broad range of organisations and industries, including universities, local councils, and healthcare and aerospace, giving them a chance to see first-hand what goes on behind the scenes at a Royal Air Force Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) base.
The two-day event began with a bright and early start for the Lowland-based visitors as they set off together from Stirling, with transport generously provided by one of this year’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver winners, McGill’s Buses.
After receiving a warm welcome and a chance to relax and mingle over lunch in the Officers’ Mess, the Employer Engagement event officially kicked off with a series of informative briefings on various aspects of life and work at RAF Lossiemouth. The topics covered included:
- The history of RAF Lossiemouth and an outline of base operations.
- The types of aircraft housed within the station (P-8A Poseidon, Typhoon and the incoming E7 Wedgetail intelligence gathering aircraft).
- Community and sustainability projects such as installing a solar farm on the base, improving welfare and childcare services and runway replacement.
- Accounts from three RAF Reservists on how they balance their military and civilian careers, and the array of transferable skills they take between each of their roles.
- The value and importance of the support that both Regulars and Reservists receive from their families, employers and local communities to carry out training and operations.
Following the briefings, the employers happily took the opportunity to chat with each of the RAF speakers more directly, finding out more about the many learning and development options available to them, the transition from Regular to Reserve life, and how the RAF can support employers whose Reservist employees are mobilised for operations at home or abroad.
The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron, which, having been formed in 1912, makes it the oldest fixed-wing squadron in the world. During this part of the visit, the employers gained insights into the extensive history and varied structure of the squadron (interesting fact: only 10 per cent of the squadron’s personnel are pilots), how every member of the team, be they pilots, engineers, logisticians or caterers, are vital to successful QRA operations, the lengthy training and shift patterns of the squadron crew, and a live demonstration of how to put on a flying suit.
The No. II (AC) Squadron section of the Lossiemouth visit also included an up-close tour of the station’s Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets, which sparked plenty of excitement and conversation among the guests.
The first day of the RAF Lossiemouth Employer Engagement visit rounded off with a hearty dinner and a little more networking back at the Officers’ Mess, before the employers returned to their accommodation in Elgin, already looking forward to Day Two.
The next morning, the visitors returned to RAF Lossiemouth and began the day with a further briefing on the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, which highlighted both its primary role of Aircraft Post-Crash Incident Management and its secondary role of providing Military Aid to Civil Authorities (MACA), for example supporting the police and ambulance services in search and rescue operations.
Next up was a visit to the station’s Astra Hub, home to a wide range of innovative and exciting projects aimed at improving everyday life and work around RAF Lossiemouth. This stage of the visit proved exceptionally valuable for the Astra personnel and the employers alike, as a lively conversation soon started up with support and collaboration ideas quickly moving back and forth.
The final stop of the day was to the base’s Atlantic Building, home to the impressive P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol fleet. Guided by the base’s knowledgeable crew members, the employers were thrilled to be taken on both interior and exterior tours of the aircraft, learning all about the on-board systems and equipment, as well as what a typical Poseidon sortie might involve.
Lisa Hepworth, People Services Business Partner for Glasgow Caledonian University, said of her experience during the visit: ‘It’s been really interesting getting to speak with the personnel and see some of the sights around RAF Lossiemouth. I think one of the biggest highlights for me has been learning about the wider impact of what Reservists do and how we as employers can ensure we have the best possible support put in place for them.’
Ed Challis, the Principal Lead for the Armed Forces Talent Programme at NHS Scotland, and also a Reservist with the Army Training Unit (ATU), was equally impressed by what he saw and heard during the two-day event, commenting: ‘It was great to learn more about the Mountain Rescue Service, and especially about how much of their work is carried out by volunteers from both the Regular and Reserve Armed Forces.
‘Being from an Army background myself, it’s also been interesting to see the parallels and differences between the ways in which the different branches of the Armed Forces operate.’
Lowland RFCA would like to thank all the crew at RAF Lossiemouth for their incredible hospitality over the two days we spent with them, and also the employers who took time out of their busy schedules to join us and find out more about not just how skilled and dedicated our Reservists are, but also how big a difference their support and engagement can make to them.
